Longtime Unplug student Lana Rushing (Founder of Rushing PR) wrote the article below with the sweetest shoutout to Unplug!

We live in stressful times. We are more tethered to digital devices than ever before and many struggle with work / life balance even more as a result of this “always-on” mentality.

So, while technology advances fuel progress and keep us connected and entertained, they can also impact our ability to stay grounded and present. Being overbooked, over-worked and over-stimulated mentally can really take a toll. Here are four ways you can cope:

1. Set boundaries. One of the things I realized after becoming more senior in my public relations career is that when I was more junior, I gave up too much of my time to work stress. I took it home with me. It wrecked my sleep sometimes. It takes practice to leave work at work. There will always be exceptions -- especially in a field like mine -- but it is possible to compartmentalize and find harmony.

2. Find quiet time to reflect. For me this one is a game changer. Four years ago, Unplug Meditation opened up in my neighborhood and I was surprised to learn that I actually canmeditate. Previously, I had tried a few meditation workshops but I thought my mind was too busy so it didn’t stick. At Unplug, I learned that you don’t have to try to stop your thoughts to be a successful meditator. No one can do that! I also learned to think of myself as the thinker of the thoughts, and to let them exit like clouds, and then go back to the breath and repeat that cycle as new thoughts emerge. That’s it. It is really that easy and it can help you in so many aspects of your life. If you don’t have a meditation studio nearby, take a look at all of the apps that bring meditation to you. In this case, technology can bring relief with soothing sounds. (Just turn your ringer off!) You can also find meditative moments while out on a neighborhood walk or perhaps while gardening or even doing household chores, believe it or not!

3. Get enough sleep, exercise and nutrition. All of these things fuel your body and your mind. Your mood, communication style and level of creativity are a few things that can be impacted by how well you take care of yourself.

4. Watch the negative self-talk. We all have bad days or things we’d do differently if we could go back in time. However, dwelling on the negative is like jumping into quicksand and I happen to think it all starts with how you talk to yourself. Are you your own biggest critic or cheerleader? It is definitely something to think about. Coming from a place of gratitude can help you pivot out of a bad situation.